, 1887-03-03
A Disposition to Build up an
American Navy.
The Probabilities of q Called
Session Of Congress.
SENATE.

Plumb criticised the administration
severely for making unfit appoint
ments, but said he was not unmindful
OF the fact that the president had diff
hculty In getting competent men in
the democratic party and had conse.
quently left many republicans in Office
He spoke in terms OF ridicule of the
American minister at London and oi
his predecessor, Mr.. Lowell. He said
there was more in being citizen OF
the republic Of letters than OF the re-
public of the United States. Unless
some American enterprise was got
into the consular and diplomatic ser
vice, it was just as well to leave it in
its present rut. If not disgrace it
was at all events no credit to the Amer
ican people. 1t needed. recasting and
rebuilding from turret to foundation.
Mr.. Call suggested, sarcastically,
that there was no other way to elevate
the consular and diplomatic service ex-
cept to have the senator from Kansas
elected president of the United States,
but it SO happened that the people pre-
ferred to elect their own choice.
Mr.. Plumb said that he was inform
ed, and believed, that the present min
ister to England habitually and sys-
temstically shirked his duties as min
ister SO far as they related to the COM
tort, convenience and interest of Amer
ican citizens. He was informed and
believed that the American minister
was practically "a toady to British
aristocrscy." There ought TO be some.
thing of the dignity Of American citi-
zenship observed by the minister to
England. In his judgment neither
Mr.. Phelps nor Mr.. Lowell should ever
have represented the United States
abroad. He would not say that it was
disgrace that they had represented
this country, but would say it was
great misfortune which ought to be
repaired by the removal of the present
minister.
Mr.. Merrill defended Mr.. Phelps.
After a good deal of further desul-
tory discussion the amendment re-
ported by the committee on appropria-
tions were all adopted (with some 9TH
ers) and the senate bill was passed.
The agricultural appropriation bill
was then taken up and passed, with
some amendments).
Messages were presented from the
president vetoing pension bills for
Anna Wright and Sarah Hamilton.
Mr.. Plumb from the conference COM
lnittee on house bill to restrict owner
hip of real estate i'm territories
70 American citizens, made
report, which was agreed to.
Mr.. Ifoff, from the committee on
library, reported II bill appropriating
$4,000 for the completion of the mon
ument to Mary, mother of Washing
ton, at Fredericksburg, Va. Passed.
Jones, Of Nevada, offered resolu-
ton (Which was adopted) calling on
the secretary of state for statement
OF the conditions on which the Anglo
American direct and French cable
companies were allowed to land its
cables on the American shore, also,
copies of all contracts between those
companies and other cable and tele-
graph companies. He also presented
the credentials of Mr.. Stewart as sem
ator from the state of Nevada. Placed
on file.
Mr.. Davis presented conference re.
port on Indian aspiration bill. Agreed
to-
The senate till TO reimburse deposit
ers OF the Freedman's Savings and
Trust Company was taken up, discuss.
ed amended and passed, yeas 2s, nays
6, The senate then adjourned
HOUSE.
Mr.. Willis, OF Kentucky, moved
that the rules be suspended and senate
amendment to the river and harbor
appropriation bill be non-concurred in.
After debate, the motion was agreed
to, 1872 TO 1892.
Mr.. Bragg, of Wisconsin, presented
the conference reporton the bill for
the location and erection of branch
soldiers home west of the Rocky
Mountains. Agreed to.
The house then went into committee
Of the whole. Mr.. McCreary in the
chair, on naval appropriation bill.
Mr.. Savers, of Texas offered
an amendment appropriating
$2,47O 900 for the construction of two
swift double steel cruisers, each of
about 1000 tons displacement, the
type of the Newark, excepting the
boiler and machinery, four of about
100 tons displacement, of the type of
gunboat No. /, and one swift torpedo
boat. Said vessels to cost altogether,
exclusive of armament, not more than
S495O,O 900.
Mr.. Boutelle, of Maine, offered as q
substitute. for. the amendment an.
amendment appropriating u 100000
for the construction of ten steel .craiis.
, era Ard x4.N0O 900 for the armament OF